"… I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." — Psalm 40:17
This text may best be appreciated in the light of the context (as is often the case,) especially v.12, "For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me." Our spokesman is the victim of spiritual heart failure. It is against that background that we would examine our "nugget" for today.
It is often the case with David, and should be with us, that adversity drives to a proper introspection. If we stand in the right relationship with holiness, our response to life's difficulties, whatever their nature, will not be "What have I done to deserve this?", but "Why should I deserve anything better?"We are so out of touch with the divine standard today that there is little consciousness of sin. Not so the psalmist. Close to the Light, he is mightily convicted of his woeful condition, assessing his sins as "more than the hairs of mine head." That is not hyperbole, but sober assessment which results in his self evaluation, "I am poor and needy."
It is of some importance to note that this is not the conviction of an unconverted man, but of a believer caught in the inevitable and never ending struggle between the flesh and the spirit. One is reminded of the contrasting disposition of the church of Laodicea, against which the Lord laid the charge, "… I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked… "[Rev. 3:16-17]."
It is imperative as believers that we remember, as David does, that apart from divine grace we are by nature spiritually destitute. Observe, however, the benefit of that conviction: it does not drive him to despair, but to the encouragement of God's grace. "Yet the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my deliverer." How much there is in the divine revelation to assure us that the Lord "thinks upon" those who discover themselves as "poor and needy." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This grand text is so familiar to us as believers that we generally miss its powerful, encouraging import. If God truly loves this lost, rebellious world, how much more does He love His children, their wretchedness notwithstanding? The apostle Peter reminds us, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you [I Pet. 5:6-7, italics added]. "And again, for an Old Testament example, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all [Ps. 34:18-19]." Such is His grace toward those who learn how frail they are, and recognize themselves as "poor and needy."
It is this reflection, then, that encourages the writer to make his appeal to God. Someone has said, we need to pray most when we least feel like praying. There is in this "God of all grace" both a refuge and a resource for the believing soul in every circumstance of life, whatever its origin, whatever its dimension. "Make no tarrying, O my God."
Whatever your present trial or affliction may be, its' ultimate design is to generate the awareness, "I am poor and needy." Then by His word be encouraged: He thinks upon you; "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry [Ps. 34:15]." And the righteousness that qualifies is not self generated, but conferred upon us by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the discovery of our wretchedness stimulate an appeal to the throne of grace and draw us nearer to Him who is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think [Eph. 3:20]." He will "make no tarrying;" i.e., He will not be late!
For victory,
"Pastor" Frasier
This text may best be appreciated in the light of the context (as is often the case,) especially v.12, "For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me." Our spokesman is the victim of spiritual heart failure. It is against that background that we would examine our "nugget" for today.
It is often the case with David, and should be with us, that adversity drives to a proper introspection. If we stand in the right relationship with holiness, our response to life's difficulties, whatever their nature, will not be "What have I done to deserve this?", but "Why should I deserve anything better?"We are so out of touch with the divine standard today that there is little consciousness of sin. Not so the psalmist. Close to the Light, he is mightily convicted of his woeful condition, assessing his sins as "more than the hairs of mine head." That is not hyperbole, but sober assessment which results in his self evaluation, "I am poor and needy."
It is of some importance to note that this is not the conviction of an unconverted man, but of a believer caught in the inevitable and never ending struggle between the flesh and the spirit. One is reminded of the contrasting disposition of the church of Laodicea, against which the Lord laid the charge, "… I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked… "[Rev. 3:16-17]."
It is imperative as believers that we remember, as David does, that apart from divine grace we are by nature spiritually destitute. Observe, however, the benefit of that conviction: it does not drive him to despair, but to the encouragement of God's grace. "Yet the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my deliverer." How much there is in the divine revelation to assure us that the Lord "thinks upon" those who discover themselves as "poor and needy." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This grand text is so familiar to us as believers that we generally miss its powerful, encouraging import. If God truly loves this lost, rebellious world, how much more does He love His children, their wretchedness notwithstanding? The apostle Peter reminds us, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you [I Pet. 5:6-7, italics added]. "And again, for an Old Testament example, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all [Ps. 34:18-19]." Such is His grace toward those who learn how frail they are, and recognize themselves as "poor and needy."
It is this reflection, then, that encourages the writer to make his appeal to God. Someone has said, we need to pray most when we least feel like praying. There is in this "God of all grace" both a refuge and a resource for the believing soul in every circumstance of life, whatever its origin, whatever its dimension. "Make no tarrying, O my God."
Whatever your present trial or affliction may be, its' ultimate design is to generate the awareness, "I am poor and needy." Then by His word be encouraged: He thinks upon you; "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry [Ps. 34:15]." And the righteousness that qualifies is not self generated, but conferred upon us by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the discovery of our wretchedness stimulate an appeal to the throne of grace and draw us nearer to Him who is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think [Eph. 3:20]." He will "make no tarrying;" i.e., He will not be late!
For victory,
"Pastor" Frasier
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